


Heaven Knows It's High Time

by outruntheavalanche



Category: General Hospital
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Crushes, F/M, Not Beta Read, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-24
Updated: 2015-09-24
Packaged: 2018-04-23 04:29:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4863176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/outruntheavalanche/pseuds/outruntheavalanche
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>There was no way Nikolas could ever find out about her stupid, silly little crush.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heaven Knows It's High Time

**Author's Note:**

> After finding a Tyler Christopher interview in which he mentioned that TPTB were planning a possible Nik/Liz romance before he left the show, I was struck by this idea. This is a canon divergence/AU set in 1999 and is kind of a “what if” scenario. 
> 
> This means there’s no Spencer, Cameron, Jake, or Aidan. Lucky stays dead. Relationships that happened on the show don’t quite happen the same way here.
> 
> It starts in 1999, after Lucky’s death, and follows the same general timeline, with significant changes. Since I missed most of that storyline when it aired, I’ve done my best.
> 
> Title from “This Year’s Love,” by David Gray.
> 
> This probably won't ever be finished. I forgot I even started this.
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](http://nullrefer.com/?https://finnrye.tumblr.com/)!

Elizabeth stepped out of the hospital elevators and spotted Nikolas sitting in a lobby chair, his back to her, his cheek resting heavily on one balled fist. She tucked her purse under her arm and made a beeline right for him, reaching out and tapping him on the shoulder. She couldn’t hide a pleased smile when Nikolas just about jumped out of his skin, leapt out of the chair and wheeled around to face her.

“Liz, you scared me half to death,” he said, laughing breathlessly. He swept a hand through his short black hair and scratched nervously at the back of his neck.

“I’m sorry,” Elizabeth said, though she was certain the small smile she felt on her lips was giving her away. When Nikolas rolled his eyes and gave her a slight shake of her head, she let out a delighted laugh. “Okay, I’m not really that sorry. But I swear I didn’t come here just to scare you to death. I have something I wanted to show you.”

“Oh?” Nikolas said coolly, as if he were trying not to appear too interested. Nikolas’ suddenly frosty demeanor was undone by the sparkle in his eyes, though.

Elizabeth reached into her purse, closed her fingers around the padded manila envelope she had been toting around all day, and pulled it out. 

“I got an information packet from art school,” Elizabeth explained, grabbing onto Nikolas’ hand and pulling him down to sit next to her on the waiting room couch. “I can’t believe I’m really going away. I’m just so—” She stopped herself short, fingers still wrapped around Nikolas’ hand. “Are you okay? I’ve been so wrapped up in my own drama that I didn’t even stop to ask. What are you doing at the hospital? Is everything all right?”

Nikolas laughed and waved his hand in the air, dismissively. He reached back for Elizabeth’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. 

“Yes, everything’s fine, Liz,” he said, letting go of her hand to rub her shoulder. “I’m more interested in hearing about all your drama than rehashing my own. So tell me all about art school.”

Nikolas smiled at her and Elizabeth looked down at the packet in her hands, ducking her head so that Nikolas couldn’t see the blush that she was certain was creeping onto her cheeks.

-

Nikolas had been so kind to her since Lucky died. He’d been so patient and understanding. Elizabeth knew the sudden surge of affection she’d been feeling toward Nikolas was probably just a byproduct of that, of their bonding over losing Lucky. They’d both lost him, and they’d turned to each other for support and comfort. It was what they’d needed at the time.

What they _didn’t_ need was Elizabeth sending the wrong signals. They didn’t need her feeling all fluttery around Nikolas, like her stomach was full of butterflies, cheeks warm as if she’d been lying out on the beach on a summer day without a care in the world. 

Elizabeth sat on her grandmother’s couch and held the envelope from art school against her chest, as if it could stem the worrisome tide threatening to surge forth from her heart. 

Lucky had been gone for almost half a year. It was far too soon for her to be feeling this way about _anyone_ , least of all his half-brother. 

If Elizabeth had her way, she’d never feel like this for another man, not for as long as she lived. She’d keep Lucky’s memory alive in her heart, and that would be enough for her. Lucky, and the memory of the perfect love they’d shared, would be enough to last a lifetime.

And yet...

Elizabeth sighed, set the envelope down on the coffee table, and pulled one of Grams’ pillows against her chest.

There was no way Nikolas could ever find out about her stupid, silly little crush.


End file.
